Russia vows "tough response" after Ukraine's border shelling

MOSCOW, July 13 (Xinhua) -- A cross-border shell fired from Ukraine was an indication of dangerous escalation of tension in border areas and might have irreversible consequences, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

The response came after local authorities confirmed the death of one Russian citizen after a Ukrainian shell hit Russia's Rostov region earlier Sunday.

Representative of the regional government Aleksandr Titov told ITAR TASS news agency that a shell struck two private houses at about 9:02 a.m. local time (0502 GMT) in the city of Donetsk, which lies near the border with Ukraine's Lugansk region.

One Russian citizen, born in 1967, was killed, he said, while the RIA Novosti news agency quoted a medical source as saying two women were also badly injured.

Investigators from the Russian Investigative Committee said it has opened a criminal case on the shelling.

The Ukrainian charge d'affaires was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry where a resolute protest was expressed to him.

Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told Rossia-24 channel that the incident "is a qualitative escalation of danger" for Russian citizens on their own territory, and it "will not be left without a reaction."

WASHINGTON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Saturday told U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden that the separatists were using heavy weapons on the government forces in their counterattacks aiming to retake lost territories in Ukraine's east.

In their phone conversation, Poroshenko informed the veep " about the latest separatist attacks using heavy weapons on Ukrainian forces and the vice president expressed his condolences for the loss of life," the White House said in a statement. Full story

ZAGREB, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexey Meshkov said in Dubrovnik on Saturday the European Union (EU) should not use Western Balkan countries' desire of joining the bloc to force them to choose between Europe and Russia.

Meshkov said at the 9th Croatia forum held in Croatian southern coast city Dubrovnik that the Western Balkan countries should not be asked to choose between Europe and Russia, the Croatian News Agency Hina reported. Full story

BRUSSELS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU), Russia and Ukraine during a trilateral ministerial meeting here on Friday agreed to launch a consultation mechanism to examine the effects of the implementation of the EU-Ukraine association agreement and address concerns from Russia.

While the new trade arrangements aim to create positive economic effects for all parties involved, "their implementation could entail some potential economic risks between Russia and Ukraine," said a "joint conclusions" statement following Friday's meeting issued by the EU. Full story

BRUSSELS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The Council of the European Union on Friday decided to add 11 more people to its list of sanctions over Ukraine situation, bringing the number of people on its Ukraine-related blacklist to 72.Full story

UNITED NATIONS, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Friday circulated a document on the Ukraine crisis among the UN Security Council members which Moscow hoped would serve as the core of a resolution to end the three-month conflict.Full story